The GeForce RTX 5070 is out today, at least on paper. Yet despite having already slipped from its original February release plan, the RTX 5070 looks set to launch directly into the same stock shortage problems that have been causing frowny faces all around the rest of the RTX 50 series graphics cards – and, while you’ll still be able to try your luck with most of the GPU’s board partner variants, the one version you definitely won’t be buying today is Nvidia’s own Founders Edition.
A healthy pinch of my motivation for writing about waiter simulation plate em’ up The Way Of The Tray is so I can read your hospitality job horror stories in the comments, but I do love the energy here. It’s a breathless, colourful (actual) plate-spinner that has you serve mythical dishes in the daily grind for tips from Yokai customers. You’ll then invest those tips back into waiter skills and restaurant upgrades, or at least whatever petty cash is left over from paying rent.
Read the rune, Konami.
Few RPGs, or video games, deal with war and hope in the face of tyranny like the Suikoden series. Konami’s prime RPG series, created by the late, great Yoshitaka Muriyama, is beloved by those who have played them – particularly the first two. They’re about the underdogs, about those who want better for their country, and not at the cost of a life. In the face of war, we push back against tyrannical empires and oppressive governments in order to give the people, and the oppressed, hope and a better life.
But Suikoden isn’t just about war. As is written in the Chinese epic The Water Margin, on which Suikoden is loosely based: “A close neighbor means more than a distant relative.” These games are all about interpersonal relationships and conflicts between friends and family, and they never shy away from the morally grey. But when ideals are challenged and faith is shaken, how does one maintain those bonds? Suikoden manages to balance topics of oppression, racism, politics, and familial relationships and friendships with delicacy and heart.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Suikoden I & II HD Remaster is out tomorrow. I’ll have a review up soon, but I wanted to post some quick thoughts on the new translation.
“For the original games, the size of the dialogue box was quite small and there wasn’t a lot that we could fit in there,” producer Yasuo Daikai told IGN back in 2022. “Japanese is a language that can say a lot in a very short amount of space, but for English and other languages, you need a lot of space to say the same thing usually. So in this game we have expanded the size of those dialogue boxes, and that has let us retool and work on the localization to get us more in tune with the Japanese script,”
Waahahaha!
As you might recall, Nintendo and Amazon filed a lawsuit against sellers of alleged fake products including counterfeit amiibo.
In an update, Nintendo has officially won – with Seattle district judge Marsha J. Pechman awarding the video game giant approximately $7,030,158 million as a default judgment against the two sellers (thanks, Polygon).
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
“We apologize for any inconvenience”.
Nintendo has been winding down repairs for some of its older hardware in Japan over the past few years and today the company’s customer support in this location has issued an update regarding the 3DS family of systems.
This includes repairs for “Nintendo 2DS systems” and the New Nintendo 3DS LL (known as the XL model here in the West) – mentioning how it’s now officially run out of parts necessary to repair these systems in Japan. Here’s the full updated notice (via machine translation):
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Watch out for that Bermuda Triangle.
After surprising us all by launching on Switch last month, Sid Meier’s Civilization VII has today landed its first update.
There’s a boatload to cover in this one, though the headline additions include the arrival of the Bermuda Triangle, updates to the Modern Age Geographic Society victory path and the ability to convert holy cites. Naturally, Firaxis has also implemented a bunch of UI and gameplay tweaks for good measure, so things should run a little smoother in ver. 1.1.0.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Mecha Break is the PvP mech shooter you’ve been waiting for – and the game’s Open Beta Test starts today! In this test, you will be able to experience 3 distinct game modes: 3v3, 6v6, and a sprawling PvPvE extraction game mode called Mashmak.
Before you can take part in our mech battles you’ll first need to choose your mech, or “Striker”, each featuring its own unique weapons and abilities. With 13 different Strikers to choose from in the Open Beta Test, picking the right one will be key to your success. To help you on your way, here are our tips for every single one, and what kind of player fits them best.
Alysnes
Alysnes is your first Striker and a classic all-rounder. A Medium Attacker, featuring both devastating ranged and melee options, Alysnes is perfect for a jack-of-all-trades! If you find yourself low on health, don’t worry – Alysnes has a unique Armor Purge mechanic that gives you a second chance at victory!
Aquila
Aquila is a Heavy Sniper with some major firepower. It’s perfect for a crack shot who wants some beefy defense. Unlike most snipers, Aquila excels in maintaining advantageous positioning with their Airborne Kit, not to mention locking down enemy units with their Claw Drone to ensure their shot never misses.
Falcon
A terror in the skies, Light Attacker Falcon embodies the heart of an ace pilot zipping through the air, quickly striking opponents before they’re already moving on to another target. With multiple missile barrages available, Falcon can bombard an area and quickly reposition for another strike.
Hurricane
A storm is brewing! Hurricane is an Ultra-Heavy Defender. By focusing the crystals in its armaments, they can redirect their power to target a wide area, denying enemies the chance to retaliate. This one is for players who like to wipe out the competition while remaining safe amid the carnage.
Inferno
When we say Ultra-Heavy Attacker, we mean it! This Striker can focus a high-powered energy beam onto a single target for huge amounts of damage. Some call them a sleeping giant. We call them Inferno.
Luminae
This Light Support Striker has two modes: Support or Corruption. While in Support Mode, your Drone Launcher will repair allies over time. Swap to Corruption mode, and it will attach to an enemy Striker and directly attack its health, bypassing their shields. This mech is for those who want the best of both worlds.
Narukami
As a Light Sniper, Narukami excels in quick hits that pack a punch. Utilize their Optical Camo Drone and Decoy Drones to confuse the enemy and multiply their damage before grappling away. This Striker is for players who like to be sneaky.
Panther
Panther is a Medium Brawler that can charge and single out enemy Strikers with a giant lance to deal pinpoint damage that bypasses all shields. This is one Striker that will excel in the hands of a player who likes to get up close and personal.
Pinaka
Pinaka is a Medium Support that can deploy shields, wall off areas, and provide crucial support for Strikers in need of repair. This Striker is perfect for players who want to command the battlefield.
Skyraider
Aerial denial is the name of the game here. Skyraider is a Medium Attacker that comes equipped with armaments that excel in crowd control and area denial. Their ability to transform between a biped or aerial unit gives it the versatility to handle most situations.
Stego
With a front-facing shield, micro missiles, and rockets upon rockets, the Ultra-Heavy Attacker Stego is the epitome of ‘mess around and find out’! If you find yourself in a sticky situation, use your Complex Haze Diffuser to disrupt enemies and zip away to safety.
Tricera
The crown prince of “pull the trigger”, Ultra-Heavy Defender Tricera features four heavy-duty gatling guns that rip and tear through enemy strikers. Their turret mode comes complete with high-capacity shields and Healing Drones, meaning that it can take a beating and dish it out.
Welkin
A big mech deserves a big axe. Not only can the Heavy Brawler Welkin cleave through the opposition, but they can also lock down enemy strikers in their Stasis Shield to savor every last slash. Perfect for those who walk quietly and carry a big stick.
The most important part of selecting a Striker is… variety. You’ll have plenty of time during the Open Beta Test, so hop into the robust training mode, and give each Striker a try to find your favorites!
The Mecha Break Open Beta Test begins today. See you on the battlefield!
The post Mecha Break Open Beta Begins Today: Tips on Choosing Your Striker appeared first on Xbox Wire.
For newcomers to Monster Hunter, the sudden success of Wilds might seem like it came out of nowhere. But Capcom has been fine-tuning its massively successful Monster Hunter series for global domination for years and the result is what looks to be one of the best-selling games in the series.
With over a million concurrent players on Steam, everyone is playing Monster Hunter Wilds. But if you’re feeling like an outsider looking in, unsure how or where to start, I have the secret to maximizing your Monster Hunter enjoyment with this one simple trick – finding the weapon that best suits how you want to play.
In Monster Hunter Wilds, players can immediately choose from an almost overwhelming arsenal of weapons, each with their own unique playstyle, whether that’s heavy, brutish weapons like the Great Sword, something more nimble like the Dual Blades, or ranged weapons like the Bowgun.
There’s a temptation – I think partly because it is Monster Hunter’s most iconic weapon – to start out using the big swords and switch axes first, but these cumbersome weapons have to be used in a very specific way, prioritizing intentional swings instead of brute force. As such, they’re not the easiest thing to get to grips with at first. Instead, I’d opt for something a little more nimble like the Dual Blades, which unlocks a world of quick attacks and dodges. The difference is transformative: when maining a big sword, Monster Hunter echoes the considered combat and careful approach of Dark Souls; using Dual Blades, it’s reminiscent of Devil May Cry’s action-focussed combat.
Indeed, compared to previous Monster Hunters, Wilds changes up the combat to make it a bit more in-line with modern action games. While you still need to sheathe your weapon if you want to heal, combat feels more intuitive to anyone who’s played an action RPG from the last five years. That said, the main difference – and why picking a weapon that best suits the way you play – is unlike other action RPGs, which let players customize the way they want to play through skill trees, in Monster Hunter it’s all down to weapon choice.
The decision you make at the start defines the experience you’ll have, then. If your preference is something super fast and combo heavy, that makes you feel like Dante’s been transported to the Monster Hunter series, go for the Dual Blades, which relies on fast attacks, quick dodges, and building up a meter that, when full, can unleash a rapid combo on downed enemies.
On the flip side, if you prefer something that can deal heavy damage while keeping your defences up and maintain mobility, the sword and shield is a great starter weapon. The lance – one of the least popular weapons in the game because it favors defense over flashy attacks – combines both a big weapon and shield. Its parries and counter-attacks aren’t for everyone, but practice and you get a very unique combat experience.
There are also ranged weapons like the Bowguns, which are equally if not more powerful than melee weapons. If you’re going to pick one of these, remember to pack enough ammo and make sure you’re bringing the best ones for the particular monster you’re fighting.
There are 14 weapons to choose from, each with unique abilities and characteristics, but they’re effectively divided into three main types – heavy, which deal massive damage in exchange for speed, light weapons that deal rapid attacks, and technical weapons. But there are also those that sit between these archetypes – the Gunlance has range capabilities, the Charge Blade can become a big axe or smaller blade with a button press, and the Insect Glaive and Hunting Horn can be used to gain unique buffs with the right combos.
There’s a ton of choice but don’t get overwhelmed. Try out every weapon in the game’s tutorial before you fully commit, because you will definitely find the right fit for you, whether that’s kicking up a frenzy like Dante or prioritizing strategy like Dark Souls.
Matt Kim is IGN’s Senior Features Editor.
